LSU Shreveport Stays Alive with Walk-Off

Devon Greco blasts grand slam in the bottom of the ninth

May 28, 2012

By Alan Grosbach, Manager of Communications & Sports Information

LEWISTON, Idaho - (Box Score) With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth, LSU Shreveport's (La) Devin Greco ended it quickly with a walk-off grand slam to propel the top-seeded Pilots to a 7-3 victory over No. 6 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) in game 10 of the 2012 Avista-NAIA World Series at Harris Field.

With the win, the Pilots avoid becoming the first No. 1 seed since seeding began in 2003 to go 0-2. LSU Shreveport advances to play the loser of No. 2 Lee (Tenn.) and No. 3 Oklahoma City at 3 p.m. PDT on Tuesday. Lewis-Clark ends its season with a 42-14 record, including a 1-2 mark in the postseason. The Warriors have now gone 1-2 in their last four World Series appearances.

Ridge Gonsoulin and Kyle Pearson, who homered in the seventh to tie the game, set the stage with back-to-back hits to open the Pilot half of the ninth. An intentional walk of Greg Friesen loaded the bases with no outs when Greco stepped to the plate. Greco wasted no time, depositing the first pitch into the left field bleachers to give LSU Shreveport its first win in this year's World Series.

Greco was one of four Pilots with two hits on the afternoon. The other three individuals were Pearson, Friesen and Manny Estrada. As a team, LSU Shreveport tallied 12 hits, including the two previously mentioned home runs.

Jake Knight was credited with the victory for the Pilots, improving to 4-0 on the season. He scattered two hits and allowed no runs in two innings of relief. LSU Shreveport starter Matt Lackie finished with a no-decision. Lackie tossed seven innings, allowing three runs (all earned), one walk and striking out four.

Lewis-Clark State reliever Mitchell Wilhite (2-2) took the loss. He surrendered five runs (all earned) on five hits in 2.2 innings of work.

The Warriors drew first blood in the second when Jordan Payne singled down the left field line, scoring pinch runner Zach Holley and Connor Moore, who reached earlier on a walk and hit-by-pitch. Lewis-Clark added what proved to be its final run of the contest two innings later when Moore singled to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead after four.

LSU Shreveport, who only had three hits through the first five innings, pulled within one behind a two-run sixth. Greco opened the frame with a one-out double. Greco's pinch runner Cody Causey came around to score four pitches later as Estrada shot a single through the hole at short stop. Another Pilot single on a hit-and-run plated Estrada to make it 3-2.

The Pilots knotted to game on Pearson's seventh inning blast before Greco walked off in the ninth.